It should come as no real surprise to those of you who know me: science was my first love. If I had known at the time just how creative a science career could be, I might have channeled all my artistic energy into something like genetic engineering and stuck with my original biology track. As it stood, though, I couldn't stand not making new things. So I kept writing and making art instead.

I don't regret it. Much. But I am still preoccupied with all things biological, geological, astronomical, physical. I've been told that I can consume more science fiction in a month than the entire staff of the NY Review of SF. I read entomological field guides for fun, and when I paint, I paint to Sean Carroll physics lectures; cosmology is all the music I need.

And when a new abstract series starts to take on decided tones of strange, alien geology, I am very happy. As these new pieces emerged, I worked to develop those exoplanetary overtones: the unfamiliar strata, the unusual chemical colors of the sky and sea, the variable texture of the alien atmospheres.

(The piece below, "Blue Planet 3", will be included in Verum Ultimatum's juried exhibition 'Abstract Catalyst' in Portland in September/October 2015.)